better 1 of 4

as in more
to a greater or higher extent he knows property law better than anyone else

Synonyms & Similar Words

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better

2 of 4

noun

better

3 of 4

verb

better

4 of 4

adjective

Synonym Chooser

How is the word better distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of better are ameliorate, help, and improve. While all these words mean "to make more acceptable or to bring nearer a standard," improve and better are general and interchangeable and apply to what can be made better whether it is good or bad.

measures to further improve the quality of medical care
immigrants hoping to better their lot

When might ameliorate be a better fit than better?

The synonyms ameliorate and better are sometimes interchangeable, but ameliorate implies making more tolerable or acceptable conditions that are hard to endure.

tried to ameliorate the lives of people in the tenements

When can help be used instead of better?

The words help and better can be used in similar contexts, but help implies a bettering that still leaves room for improvement.

a coat of paint would help that house

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of better
Adverb
The White House, ahead of the speech, paired police reform with bringing down violence, suggesting that giving police better training tools could lead to less crime nationwide. Zeke Miller and, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Feb. 2023 Buschatzke and others argue that a better and more equitable approach would be to start accounting for evaporation and other water losses from the reservoirs and along the river in the Lower Basin. Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2023
Noun
In related news, Emma Foehringer Merchant wrote a fascinating story for Undark about researchers creating a repository of birds and bats killed at solar and wind farms, to better understand why they’re getting killed and how to prevent it. Sammy Rothstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2023 Last year, the office held listening sessions in Grove Hall, Roxbury, Mattapan, and Jamaica Plain to better understand the needs of women and gender-expansive individuals. Tiana Woodard, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Feb. 2023
Verb
In the dance of love there are no betters — there is only the pursuit of radical equality. Jimi Calhoun, Austin American-Statesman, 16 Apr. 2024 Conversely, credit card delinquencies declined for sports betters, a trend that showed up a couple years after legalization and surprised Hollenbeck. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 26 July 2024
Adjective
Consent decrees have been credited with bettering some of the country's 18,000 police departments. Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 22 May 2025 Brazilian dystopian series 3% is another show that follows people who are struggling financially and enter a competition to better their lives. Skyler Trepel, People.com, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for better
Recent Examples of Synonyms for better
Adverb
  • Also: surely there are more eloquent ways to inform the reader that your story is set in May, 1846.
    Judy Berman, Time, 11 July 2025
  • In her own menagerie, Stalter currently has two cats — one rather more aloof, and one hairless snuggler named Suki — and a dog called Bunny, who manages an anxiety disorder with medication and as much physical contact with Stalter as possible.
    Anna Peele, Rolling Stone, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • They may also be perceived by co-workers and superiors as hesitant, withdrawn or underperforming.
    Naira Velumyan, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
  • Last fall, they were convicted in a separate federal case of witness tampering for misleading superiors about their actions.
    Katie Riordan, NPR, 7 May 2025
Noun
  • Kansas State has beaten the Jayhawks 16 straight times, but Missouri owns a razor-thin advantage in the Border War.
    Blake Toppmeyer, The Tennessean, 12 July 2025
  • Analysis by German football correspondent Sebastian Stafford-Bloor Tillman has some advantages.
    Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • That number far exceeds any other program nationwide.
    Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 14 July 2025
  • The asylum process in Mexico is supposed to take about three months, said Mejía from UNHCR, but the number of cases exceeds the capacity of the Mexican Commission for Refugee Aid to process them.
    Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • Hays has long served as an advocate for improving the health outcomes of children who are born with rare genetic conditions.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 13 July 2025
  • Observe and report to armed security Scott Keller, who in December took on the role of the Plaza’s general manager, said the new ownership group began working to improve security soon after the Plaza was purchased.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2025
Adjective
  • But that Berger has this moment is special for myriad reasons.
    Megan Feringa, New York Times, 20 July 2025
  • Aldrin also shared that Pope Leo XIV spoke with him and his wife, expressing how special the moment was.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2025
Noun
  • Crews on the Dragon Bravo Fire planned to build a fire line along Forest Road 610 on the northeastern edge of the fire, according to the southwest team.
    Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 21 July 2025
  • Pearl Cove Beach Club Located at the western edge of Celebration Key, Pearl Cove offers an exclusive experience for an additional cost.
    Nathan Diller, USA Today, 21 July 2025
Verb
  • Interest payments are now the second-largest spending category in the federal budget, surpassing Medicare and defense in fiscal year 2024 and trailing only Social Security.
    Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 19 July 2025
  • Kansas City doubled its own record for daily rainfall Wednesday with 2.78 inches, surpassing the previous record of 1.35 inches set in 1968, according to the National Weather Service.
    Zuri Primos July 18, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Better.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/better. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.

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